Menu Close

MeshCom & LoRa-APRS

Off-Grid Messaging partners with the
LoRa-APRS Positioning System

The MeshCom project, whose primary goal is to serve as an off-grid messenger, also has a very important development strand: enabling the integration of various systems available in amateur radio to create bridges.

LoRa-APRS

is the ideal partner for combining position paths that must also withstand numerous position transfers.

How does this bridge work?

MeshCom has been equipped with an additional transmission path in the firmware (current version v4.35p Plus) that transmits on the LoRa-APRS frequency.

MeshCom Transmit Frequency and Receive Frequency

  • Frequency: 433.175 MHz
  • Bandwidth: 250 kHz
  • Spreading factor: 11, coding rate: 4/6

LoRa-APRS Transmission Frequency

  • Frequency: 433.775 MHz
  • Bandwidth: 125 kHz
  • Spreading factor: 12, coding rate: 4/5
  • Destination call sign: APRS, since many LoRa-APRS stations can only resolve this destination call sign.

Procedure

To enable the LoRa-APRS feature, the TRACK function must be activated. With this setting, position data will still be sent to the MeshCom frequency every 20 minutes; however—and this is the key difference—position data will also be sent to the LoRa-APRS frequency whenever the GPS data changes, at least every 30 seconds.

Important information:

  • If tracking positions are transmitted on the LoRa-APRS frequency, a dedicated receiver system must be available in the region; while existing MeshCom receivers do receive the positions transmitted every 20 minutes, they do not receive the positions intended for LoRa-APRS. However, the graph on this page shows that the LoRa tracking points were received clearly during a round trip covering a distance of approximately 120 km.
  • Messages received via the MeshCom frequency are displayed immediately, and outgoing messages as well as control and telemetry data are transmitted via the nodes in the region.

Where can I view my tracking path?

There are several websites that can display an APRS track. One such site is https://aprs.fi

In the "Track Call Sign" field : enter the desired call sign along with the SSID, and select the tracking duration (inhours )if necessary.

 

If you have any further questions about this topic, feel free to ask them in the MeshCom Telegram group. Our growing community is happy to help.

Here is the invitation link for this group: https://t.me/+xSvhuEq66b45NmNk

73 de Kurt
OE1KBC

Here's another tracking log from a trip to the Lofoten Islands: